Western cyclone., 1887-09-23
a Gigantic Mining Enterprise.

cheering is the construction of the
Big Bend Tunnel on the Feather riv-
er, situated in Butte Co., California.
Feather river is formed by the North
and Middle Forks, which rise in the
Sierra Nevadas in Plumas Co., run
BouthwestWard, and unite in Butte
Co., about z miles n. E. of Oroville.
The river, including the forks, is
$50 miles long 1t runs nearly south
ward, forms the boundary between
Suffer and Yuba counties, and enters
Sacramento river at Vernon, in Suffer
Co., about 90 miles above the city of
Sacramento.
1t is well known, among gold min
ers, that the richest and most product
i've gold mines Of California have been
the beds Of rivers, and the Feather"
stands pre-eminent as to richness
wherever it has been possible to work
it. In fact, old miners have known
it for years under the name of The
Golden Feather"
Prof. Horatio G. Burchard, in speak
ing Of the gold-producing river beds
Of California, says: "They are the
natural sluices Of thousands of square
miles Of auriferous ground, the wash
from which has been distributed on
the beds, bars, and benches, where, by
a natural process Of concentrtlon, the
gold was redeposited in such manner
that it was easily accessible to the
early miners" The bars, which at
low water are dry, are exposed to the
operation Of the miners, and from
many places in the bed of the river
where it was impossible to turn the
river out Of its channel by means of
dams and canals, or f1umeS-the min
er soon found the ways of abstracting
the precious metal from the sand and
gravel in which it rested. The Big
Bend Of Feather Ever, however, whose
gravel deposits have been estimated
in value from $lO0,000,0OO to $780,
100000, has hitherto baffled the skill
Of man to rob it Of its treasure this
vast amount Of wealth has been guard
ed and preserved for ages by the min
imum constant flow of eighty thou
sand miner inches Of water rushing
LlIOuEu a udllOW Va 11OA 4,OOO
to 1000 feet deep, which rendered it
impossible to wingdam or tiume.
Yet, while nature has thus seeming.
~ placed impregnable barriers against
mans encroachments, she has provid-
ed, by these barriers, the very means
for man to overcome them, and mod
ern engineering skill has utilized them
in the construction Of the Big Bend
Tunnel.
There is little stream called Dark
Canon Iavine, which runs into the
west branch Of the Feather and from
there into the main Feather. Dark
Canon ravine is several feet lower than
the bed Of the main Feather. A tun-
mel was commenced at this point, and
a. bore 8 by is drilled through spur
of Big Bend mountain a distance of
12,OO7 feet, or nearly two and one third
miles in length; out to the mountain
side Of Feather river, at this point a
dam across the river was constructed
which is to force the water through the
tunnel into Dark Canon ravine, out of
which it will flow into the west branch,
and then into the main Feather again,
this will leave about fourteen miles of
the river bed exposed to sight during
the season Of low water, which is from
seven to nine months in the year.
This stupendOus undertaking re-
quired the services of seventy-five
men, working night and day, and Sun
day included, three years and four
months. At the head of the tunnel
six gates Of iron and steel, Alp by 8
feet, will let the water in or keep it
out. In times Of high water the gates
will be closed, and the river will run
along its old bed, to be turned out of
its course and through the tunnel at
low water.
The past yield, from those parts of
the Feather accessible to mining oper-
ations, is sufficient evidence that the
most sanguine anticipations of the
projectors of this grand scheme will be
fully realized. The famous old Case
Claim, below Big Bed, yielded $500,
600 in forty-two working days, and
from $500 lineal feet Of half worked
NAFOA DOA' - AdOtS VIC lIN CI -Cud1u6ly
both above and be'ow the Bend, has
proven itself immensely rich.
The president Of the Big Bend Tun-
mel and Mining Company, DR.. r. V.
Pierce, is, perhaps. of all others, the
most entitled to credit for the success
full termination Of this grand enter
prise. Being fully satisfied with the
feasibility Of the scheme from its in
ception, he has with an unstinted hand
supplied the funds for the prosecution
Of this enormously expensive work,
and his confidence and liberality will
soon meet its reward
DIR. Pierce is aman of mark. and
would be acknowledged as such had
he given no other evidence of his
pluck and enterprise than is exhibited
In this tunnel undertaking; but the
doctor has been, and now is, connected
with very many important matters,
In the fall Of 1877 ha vac alaotod